There are storied educators, and there are dynamic performers, and then there are those who are destined to be both. Always in search of new music and new ways to share it with others, Thomas Burritt is today's percussionist. He has received degrees from Ithaca College School of Music (BM – Education and Performance), Kent State University (MM), and Northwestern University (DMA). Active in the creation and performance of new music for percussion Burritt has built a reputation in chamber music, as a percussion soloist and a concert marimbist. He has performed regularly at the Leigh Howard Stevens International Marimba Seminar and was a featured faculty performer at the 2007 and 2009 Zeltsman Marimba Festival. In April 2004 Burritt performed in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall as member of the Hammers and Sticks Ensemble. Later the same year the Hammers and Sticks Ensemble released a CD on the Innova label featuring works by Steven Mackey, Zhou Long, Alvin Singleton, Alex Shapiro, Joseph Harchanko and Belinda Reynolds.

As Percussion Soloist Burritt has been active performing percussion concertos by Maki Ishii, Steve Mackey, Joseph Schwantner, Michael Dougherty, David Maslanka, John Mackey, and James MacMillan. Burritt has recorded for guitarist Eric Johnson and recording artist David Byrne. Burritt's first solo CD recording: "All Times Identical - New American Music for Marimba" was released in November 2006. His 2nd solo marimba recording "Groundlines" is available in iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Rdio and Spotify. In August of 2015, Burritt released his latest recording via YouTube, featuring a video album of J. S. Bach's 5th Cello Suite performed on the Marimba. In 2009 and 2016, Burritt performed on two Grammy nominated recordings: "Conspirare in Concert" and "Pablo Neruda: The Poet Sings", both distributed world wide on the harmonia mundi label. In the spring of 2012, Burritt was cited as being one of "The most influential Music Professors on Twitter". Follow @tburritt

Tony Edwards is currently the Principal Timpanist for the Austin Symphony Orchestra,Principal Percussionist for the Britt Music Festival, Assistant Principal Percussionist for the Austin Lyric Opera, and Principal Percussionist/ Timpanist for the Texas Philharmonic. From 1991-2003 he served as Co-Principal Percussionist for the Austin Symphony Orchestra. In addition he performs regularly with the San Antonio Symphony, Conspirare Orchestra, and Austin Chamber Music Center.

Tony received a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Henderson State University, Master of Music in Percussion Performance degree from the University of Texas and a Professional Studies Cerfificate from Temple University. His recordings include Bartok's Sonata for “Two Pianos and Percussion” with the Southwestern University Chamber Soloist, “Music of Donald Grantham” with Voices of Change (Centaur Records, Inc.) His most recent recording includes the movie soundtrack to Spy Kids 2 (Dimension Motion Pictures). He can also be seen perfoming the movie “Waiting for Guffman” (Castle Rock Productions). Tony currently teaches at the Round Top Music Festival and is adjunct professor at The University of Texas at Austin. Tony is an endorser for Sabian Cymbals and Innovative Percussion.

Wayne Salzmann II

Wayne Salzmann II is an incredibly versatile and active drummer with nearly 20 years of experience. Born and raised in Neenah, Wisconsin, Salzmann was exposed to a wide variety of music at a young age. By the time he was sixteen, he was playing regular gigs, had won the DW/Zildjian drum solo competition, and was teaching drum lessons at a local music store. He earned a full-tuition music scholarship from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point where he received a student-research grant to travel to New York City and study with legendary drummers Bill Stewart, Joey Baron, Billy Martin, and Ari Hoenig. In 2008, Salzmann was awarded a teaching assistantship from the University of Texas, and moved to Austin to pursue a masters degree in music. While in Austin, he met Grammy winning Guitarist Eric Johnson, with whom he is currently touring and recording.

Salzmann has been featured on dozens of albums and music videos with a wide variety of artists in Jazz, Blues, Rock, Funk, R&B, Soul, Singer-Songwriter, Brazilian, African, and Classical genres. He has also recorded for multiple commercial jingles, television shows and Hollywood film soundtracks. Salzmann has toured extensively throughout the United States, Europe, and Brazil, and he played drums for the 2011 Eric Johnson Up Close Tour and 2012 EJ World Tour. He has performed everywhere from club gigs to Carnegie Hall, to International Music Festivals, and Amphitheatre gigs supporting Steve Miller Band.

Wayne Salzmann II is known for his ability to fit into a wide variety of genres, and serve the musical styles while expressing his own unique voice from behind the drums. He also writes and arranges music for his own project called Wayne Salzmann's Groove Society. Salzmann currently holds both bachelor's and master's degrees in music, and is the drum-set Instructor at the University of Texas at Austin. He has been teaching privately for nearly 15 years, and has given master classes at Universities and Music Conservatories worldwide. He proudly endorses DW Drums, Pedals, and Hardware, Zildjian Cymbals, Evans Drumheads, Puresound Snare Wires, and Pro-Mark Drumsticks, with whom he has a signature model drumstick.